Tightener and tying tool for form tie wires



Dec. 20, 1949 1. M. REID 2,491,582

TIGHTENER AND TYING TOOL FOR FORM-TIE WIRES Filed Nov. 2, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. 4.

INVENTOR. AELE M.- 5670,

*Mz'afizm I. M. REID Dec. 20, 1949 v TIGH-TENER AND TYING TOOL FOR FORMTIE WIRES Filed Nov. 2, 194a 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. IELE M. 9570,

,4 TTOE/VEYS.

Patented Dec. 20, 1949 TIGHTENER AND TYING TOOL FOR FORM TIE WIRES Irle M. Reid, Spokane, Wash.

Application November 2, 1948, Serial No. 57,983

2 Claims.

As is well known, forms for the molding of concrete and the like, are frequently held together by wires extending thereacross with pairs of such wiresbeing twisted together about frame members of the form to secure opposite sides 0! the form together. Obviously, in the interest of uniformity in molding, it is highly desirable tightening the wires in a position for tying and means for tying said tightened wires together. A further object is to provide an improved tool of the class described, which includes a hollow body, said body being open at both ends, a cross shaft journaled in said body adjacent one end, a cross bar spanning the body adjacent the other end and adapted to be straddled by a pair of tie wires, said shaft including means for releasably engaging said tie wires, means for rotating said shaftto tighten said tie wires, and means for thereafter rotating said body on its axis for twisting or tying said wires together forwardly of said cross bar.

Other objects and advantages reside in certain structural details, combination and arrangement of the several parts of the device, and will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art upon reference to the attached drawing in connec: tion with the following specification, wherein the invention is shown, described and claimed.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the device according to the invention;

Figure 2 is an elevational view thereof;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view taken substantiallyon the plane of the line 3-.-3 of'Figure .1;

Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the device, parts being broken away;

Figure 5 is a transverse vertical sectional view taken substantially on the plane of the line 5--5 2 slightly reduced scale and showing the position of the parts at the completion of the wire tightening operation;

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 7 but showing the position of the parts at the completion of the wire tying operation;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional view similar to Figures 7 and 8 but showing the position of the parts when the same are in a wire releasing position.

Referring specifically to the drawings, wherein like reference characters have been used throughout the several views to designate like parts, the device according to the invention comprises a hollow body I 0 of any suitable rigid material which may be in the form of a skirt having open front and rear ends defined by front edges I! and rear edges [2. The front edge II, as clearly shown in Figures '7 and 8 is adapted to bear upon the form bracing members or whales I3 which in turn bear against the outer surfaces of the side members of the form, not shown. Moreover, as will appear later, the front edge H of the body In is freely rotatable on the outer surfaces of the whales 13. Likewise, as is customary, a pair of tie wires I4 extend along opposite sides of the whales l3 and are adapted to be introduced into the body m through the open front end thereof.

A cross bar 15 spans the body portion Ii] adjacent to but rearwardly of the front edge I i thereof. Opposite ends of the cross bar I5 are freely received in recesses 16 and I1 formed in the inner periphery of the body 10. Any suitable means such as the cotter pin l8 provides a pivot for mounting the cross bar [5 for swinging movement into and out of the body In through said open front end thereof. The recess l6 mounts any suitable spring means H! which in operative engagement with the cross bar l5 to load the same for pivotal movement in a direction away from the open front end of the body Ill. The other recess !1 and the adjacent end of the bar 15 are formed to provide any suitable re:

leasable latch means such as the ball latch 2p for releasably locking the cross bar l5 in The" operative position spanning the body In. upper wall of the recess ll provides a shoulder 2| engageable with the upper edge of the bar 15 to limit pivotal movement of the bar in one direction to the operative position. As clearly shown in Figures '7 and 8, the tie wires l4 when entering the body It are adapted to straddle the cross bar l5 for a purposeto be apparent later.

Rearwardly of the cross bar IS, the body l0 and a journal 21 of "reduced cross section for the shaft 25. As shown, the shaft end portion 24 spans the body it) rearwardly of the cross bar l and may extend substantially at right angles to the bar !5 although this arrangement isnot necessary. The outer free end of the shaft is of non-circular configuration, as at 29, for readily detachably connecting the shaft 25 to any suitable wrench such as the ratchet 30, Figure 7.

The free end portion 24 of the shaft 25 is formed with "a diametrically disposed slot 3! which extends longitudinally of the free end portion and opens through the free end thereof. Opposed terminal portions of the slot 3| are formed with opposed grooves 33 for slidably and rotatably receiving a fixedpin 33 disposed axially of the journal 22. The pin 33 may extend from a closed end wall of the journal 22 or, as shown, vmay extend from a block or plug 34 fixed in an end portion of the journal 22 in any suitable 1 -manner as by the cross pin 35. The purpose of the pin 33 is *to prevent the side walls of the slot 3! from being squeezed together under the ten- 'sion of the wires l lwhenthe same are tightened :by being wrapped around the free end portion 24 of the shaft.

The journal 23 is formed in a boss integral with the body ill and such boss 36 has pivoted therein a latch pin 3-! which extends transversely of the boss in partially intersecting relation to the journal 23. The latch pin 3! is formed with an arcu'a'te recess 38 which has a radius corresponding to the radius of the journal 23 and which is adapted at times to lie flush with the wall-ofthe journal 23 so as to provide a continuation thereof and permit lateral sliding of the end portion '26 of the shaft in one direction. However, when the latch pin 3'! is :given a partial rotation, the pin partially blocks the journal 23 and prevents lateral movement of the shaft 25 in the journal 23. This is accomplished by the engagement of the shoulder 25 with the latch .p-in Thus, with the parts in the Figure 7 position, the free end of the end portion 2G is rotatable in the journal 22 while the opposite end portion thereof is rotatable in the journal 23. At the same time, the latch pin 3! blocks the journal 23 laterally outwardly of the shoulder 26 and prevents lateral sliding of the shaft 25 whereby the end portion 24 thereof is releasably locked in an operative position spanning the body Hi. At this time, the open end of the slot 31 is closed by the pin 33. With the parts so positioned, the free ends of the wires 24 are inserted into the 510113! and the shaft 25 given one -or more rotations whereby to wind. the free ends of the wires about the shaft end portion :24 to tighten the wires :to a desired degree of tightness. Thereafter, the body If! is rotated on itsown axis whereby the cross bar l5 twists the wires i i together below or forwardly of the cross bar whereby to tie them together as clearly indicated in Figure 8. This action not only increases the tenseness of the wires but to some extent will withdraw the free ends-thereof from wrench the shaft end portion 24. However, in the event that the wire free ends are not completely withdrawn from the shaft end portion 24, the latch pin 31 may be given a partial rotation so that the arcuate recess 38 thereof lies flush with the wall of the journal 23 at which time the shaft may be moved laterally to the right as viewed in Figures 7 and 8, whereby the shaft end porf tio'n 2 is :moved to aretractedposlt'lon shown "in Figure 9. This action forcibly withdraws the wires from the shaft end portion 24 by virtue 0f the engagement of the wires with the end wall 39 of the journal 23. In this connection,

{it is preferable that the latch pin 31 be maintained normally in the position wherein it partially-blocks the journal 23 and retains the shaft end portion 24 against sliding movement. This is accomplished by a spring 40 which is operatively associated with the latch pin 31 whereby to load the same in thefjournal blocking position. For convenience in operation, the latch Epin 31 is preferably provided with a radially directed finger piece 6'! which, upon depression, serves to align the recess 38 of the latch pin with the side 1 Walls of the journal 23.

After the free ends of the "wires I' l have been stripped from the shaft end 14 as aforesaid, they are frequently kinked *or'othe'rwise so disposed as to make it difficult to withdraw them from the cross bar l5. For this reason, the cross bar 15 has been shown and described as being pivoted'to the body [0. Thus, when the tool is withdrawn from the wires, the kinlcedwir'es may 'cause the front end of the cross bar 15 :to be disengaged from the latch 20 whereby the *cross 'bar swings outwardly of the body ID and is readily withdrawn from between the wires 11. Thereafter, it is a. simple matter to re-engage the latch 20 with the front end of the cross bar -15 and the tool is ready for the next pair of wires 14.

While I have shown and "described what is now thought to be :a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that the same is susceptible of other forms and expressions. Consequently, I do not limitmyself to the precise structure shown and described hereabove except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

'1. A tool for tightening and tying tie wires for a form, comprising a "hollow rigid body including a free front edge adaptedto bear and rotate upon said form, a cross bar spanning said body rearwardly of said front edge and adapted to be straddled by said wires, said cross bar including "a. tethered end pivoted to :said body whereby to mount said cross bar for pivotal movement to,- wards and away from said front edge thereof, spring means op eratively engaging said cross bar and loading the same :for rearwardpivotal move-'- ment away from said front edge, means limiting said rearward pivotal movement of said cross bar to an operative position spanning said :body, said body and cross bar including interen'ga'ginglatch means for .rel'easa-bly locking said cross bar in said operative position, a cross shaft including :a first: end portion slidably journaled ln 'said body for rotation relative thereto and for trelative sliding movement transversely of said body to and an operative position spanning said 'body and a retracted positionsubstanti'ally clear'of sal'dbody, said free end portion of said shaft being formed with a slot opening through said free endpoi tion and extending longitudinally thereof, .said slot being adapted to receive said wires thereinito ens (gage the same, means for "rotating said shaft to tighten said wires, means for sliding said shaft to said retracted position to withdraw said wires from said slot, said body and shaft being formed with interengaging latch means for releasably locking said shaft in said operative position, and means for rotating said tool on the axis of said body whereby said cross bar is operative to twist said wires together between said cross bar and said form.

2. In a tool for tightening and tying tie wires for a form, a hollow rigid skirt including a free front edge for bearing and rotating upon said form, a cross bar spanning said skirt rearwardly of said front edge and positionable between said wires, said cross bar being pivoted at one end thereof to said skirt for limited movement toward and away from said front edge, interengaging latch means provided on said skirt and cross bar for releasably locking the latter in an operative position spanning said skirt, a cross shaft including a free end portion slidably and rotatably journaled in said skirt and mounted for move- REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 849,256 Moore Apr. 2,. 1907 1,024,384 Wilkinson Apr. 23, 1912 1,474,265 Kenner Nov. 13, 1923 1,541,136 Gunn June 9, 1925 2,133,887 Beers Oct. 18, 1938 2,214,267 Bednarek Sept. 10, 1940 

